About Epilepsy

Epilepsy is not a disease, but rather a symptom of a medical problem in the brain. It is a term used to describe a neurological condition that makes people susceptible to seizures, which are the result of a disturbance in the normal electrical properties of the brain. A seizure can be a one-time event. However, if two or more seizures occur without a cause that can be identified and cured, then a person is said to have epilepsy.

There are many causes for seizures, but epileptic seizures are all caused by interrupted brain signals. The brain is made up of millions of nerve cells that control how we think, move and feel. The nerve cells do this by passing electrical signals to each other. In some people these signals may suddenly be interrupted and this can cause an epileptic seizure. When someone has a seizure it is a symptom that the way their brain is working is interrupted.

The brain has many different functions. Personality, mood, memory, movement, consciousness and our senses are all controlled by the brain. These can all be affected if a person has an epileptic seizure. Epileptic seizures can look different from person to person.

* The National Society for Epilepsy

“Epilepsy is usually not hereditary. However, like many health problems, genetic factors may play a role in the development of epilepsy for some patients. Neither epilepsy nor seizures are contagious so people cannot “catch” epilepsy or seizures from someone else.” - Dr. Roy Sucholeiki, MD

Causes of Epilepsy
Anyone can develop epilepsy; it has no boundaries, it occurs in all ages, races and social classes. The reasons why some people develop epilepsy are not straightforward and there are many possible causes. Whatever the reason, a person’s seizure threshold will play a key role. The causes of epilepsy can be put into three different groups. Each group includes a number of different types of seizure. 

Symptomatic Epilepsy
When there is a known cause for a person’s epilepsy starting it is called Symptomatic Epilepsy. The causes can include head injury; infections of the brain such as meningitis; a stroke; or a scar on the brain. Images from scans of the brain may show what the cause is. The response to drug treatment can vary from person to person.

Idiopathic Epilepsy
When there is no clear cause for seizures suddenly starting this is Idiopathic Epilepsy. It is thought that having a low seizure threshold could be the reason. The response to epilepsy drug treatment is usually good.

Cryptogenic Epilepsy
When a known cause for a person’s epilepsy starting cannot be proved, but one is suspected, a person may be told that they have Cryptogenic Epilepsy.

* The National Society for Epilepsy

There are many different conditions that can cause seizures and seizure-like episodes.  However, in most cases of epilepsy, the cause is unknown.

  • Isolated seizures, for example, can be caused by almost any condition which affects the brain, such as drug intoxication or withdrawal, renal failure, or a major disturbance in electrolytes or in glucose.
  • Other things that have been identified as causes of seizures may include: head injury, lack of oxygen to the brain during birth, or lead poisoning.

« back

 

Epilepsy is more common than Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis combined!

Dr. Roy Sucholeiki, MD